Learn how to use Adobe Stock in Creative Cloud apps and otherwise. Also view a list of helpful resources offering information about Adobe Stock features, workflows, and subscription plans.

Adobe Stock is a service that provides designers and businesses with access to millions of high-quality curated and royalty-free photos, videos, illustrations, vector graphics, 3D assets, and templates for all their creative projects. You can purchase Adobe Stock as a multi-asset subscription. A number of subscription packages are available.

Overview

You can use Adobe Stock in your creative projects in these primary ways:

Creative Cloud libraries

Adobe Stock is deeply integrated with Creative Cloud libraries. You can add a watermarked preview of a stock asset to any of your libraries directly using the Adobe Stock website. Then, in Creative Cloud apps that support Libraries—Photoshop, lllustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, Dreamweaver, and After Effects—you can drag the watermarked stock image from the Libraries panel to your creative project. The stock asset is added as a library-linked asset to your project.

When you're satisfied that the stock image is appropriate for your project, you can choose to license the stock image directly from within the Libraries panel. Once you license the stock asset, all linked instances of the asset in your open documents are automatically updated to the licensed, high-resolution stock asset without the watermark.

Note:

Aside from the Libraries panel, you can license stock assets in supported Creative Cloud desktop apps from more app-specific UI locations. For example, in Photoshop, you can license watermarked previews from the Layers panel, Properties panel, and directly from within the canvas; simply right-click the stock asset and then select License Image. In Photoshop and Illustrator, to jump-start your creative projects, you can even download asset-rich templates from Adobe Stock right within the New Document dialog boxes.

Download stock images to your computer

Once you've found a stock image of interest on the Adobe Stock website, you can download either its watermarked preview or the high-resolution licensed version to your computer. Now, use the stock image in any app that supports importing photos, illustrations, graphics, or video assets.

Use Adobe Stock in apps supporting Creative Cloud libraries

You can open assets in a desktop app supporting Creative Cloud Libraries directly from within the Adobe Stock website. Alternatively, while working in such a Creative Cloud app, you can search for stock assets and license them from within the Libraries panel in the app.

Search for and license assets in the Libraries panel

In the Libraries panel of your desktop app, specify search keywords in the Search Adobe Stock bar. The search results are displayed right within the Libraries panel.

Once you've identified the asset that you want to use in your project, you can purchase a license immediately and add the asset to a library. Alternatively, you can add an unlicensed preview (watermarked) version of the asset to your library for now and license it later.

To buy an asset immediately, select the asset and then click the License And Save To<Library Name> icon.

To add an unlicensed preview version of the asset to your library, select the asset and then click the Save Preview To<Library Name> icon.

Note:

You can also choose these options from the context menu of the stock asset.

Buy the desired stock asset, or use a watermarked preview for now.

In the desktop app, drag the watermarked stock asset from the Libraries panel to your project. The stock asset is added as a library-linked asset to your project.

Add the stock image to your project.

If necessary, apply some effects to the watermarked stock image. For example, apply the Stylize > Wind filter in Photoshop to emphasize the torrid summer day in the savannah. Effects that you apply to the watermarked stock asset are preserved when you license it later.

Add some wind to the savannah.

If you've been using a watermarked preview of the stock asset so far, right-click the asset in the Libraries panel of the desktop app and select Buy Image or Buy Video.

If you already have a multi-image Adobe Stock subscription, the stock image is instantaneously licensed. The count of remaining images in your Adobe Stock subscription is displayed right within the Libraries panel.

If you don't have an Adobe Stock subscription, you're taken to the Adobe Stock website. You can choose the desired purchasing option. A number of purchasing options are available for individuals, teams, and enterprises.

Once you've licensed the asset, all instances of the watermarked asset in your open documents are automatically updated to the high-resolution licensed stock asset.

Note:

You can also save a licensed asset directly to a Creative Cloud Library from within the Adobe Stock website. Hover the pointer over the License icon () for the asset and then, in the context dialog, click the name of the library. Now, use the licensed image in your projects.

Download a template to jump-start your project

Templates from Adobe Stock are available from right within the New Document dialog boxes in Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, and InDesign CC. When you create a document in these apps, instead of beginning with a blank canvas, you can choose from a wide variety of these templates that include images, illustrations, and graphics. Once you open a template, you can work with it just as you would work with any other Photoshop or Illustrator document.

Premiere Pro users can access professionally created Motion Graphics templates in Adobe Stock. Editors wanting to work with dynamic, professional graphics, or graphics packages such as titles, lower thirds, bumpers, and closing credits, can access Motion Graphics templates from Adobe Stock created by talented professionals directly within Premiere Pro.

Use Adobe Stock in other design/authoring apps

You can use Adobe Stock with any design or authoring app that lets you import photos, illustrations, graphics, video assets, and more. Explore and license assets using the Adobe Stock website and then import the assets into the app. To understand how, see Explore and license assets using the Adobe Stock website.

Adobe Stock for teams

With Adobe Stock for teams, admins can manage Adobe Stock in the same Admin Console as their Creative Cloud for teams membership. Only one plan is needed per team, but multiple plans may be added to a team as needed. All members of the team will be able to use the pooled licenses, and each licensed asset may be used by up to 10 team members. This pooled licensing feature and the ability to share licensed assets are not available for individual Creative Cloud users.

Adobe Stock for enterprise

With Adobe Stock for enterprise, users of a product configuration for Adobe Stock within the Admin Console share a pooled quota of credits as determined by their administrator.

Once a user licenses an asset, any user of the organization can download the asset without licensing it again. Users can see, in their License History on the Adobe Stock website, all assets licensed by the organization. When they search for assets from within Creative Cloud apps or on the Adobe Stock website, assets licensed by any user in their organization are displayed with a Licensed badge.

Important considerations

Users will need to select their entitlement view on the Adobe Stock website, in the following scenarios:

When they sign in for the first time on Adobe Stock

If they also have a personal or team entitlement to Adobe Stock

If they belong to multiple product configurations for Adobe Stock (within the same organization or through multiple organizations)